Buying a Burmese Kitten

 

 

Selecting a breeder

You  can check out our breeders directory and online kitten register to find breeders, kittens and older Burmese cats for sale. When you have contacteda breeder who has kittens, you will need to arrange to visit their cattery.

When you visit a breeding cattery to select your kitten, ask to see the are in which the kitten has been kept. Usually, breeders will be most willing to assist and will show you the mother, litter and any other cats they may keep. You must then decide for yourself if the conditions under which the kittens have been kept are clean and suitable.

Choosing a kitten

The minimum age a kitten should leave its mother is 10 weeks. The preferable age however is 12 weeks.

All members of the litter should appear healthy and well cared for. Ask the breeder to show you the kitten's vaccination and microchipping certificates. This will confirm that they have been immunised and microchipped. If the kittens are not ready to leave their mother, they may not have been immunised or microchipped at the time of your visit, but you should ensure that they have been by the time you pick them up.

Kittens should be free of ear mites (ensure ears are clean and free of black wax) and relatively free of fleas.

Choosing a colour

Have a look at our page on Burmese colours to help you decide which of the 10 colours you like.

 Please remember that no matter what their colour or sex, Burmese kittens are equally friendly, intelligent and mischievious. More often than not, a Burmese kitten will choose its new owner, rather than the other way round.

Preparing for your new kitten

Litter tray and litter, (your kitten will not use the garden as a toilet for some time so you will need to use litter during the day and of course always at night).

3 bowls, at least: 1 for water; 1 for food; 1 for dry food.

A warm place to sleep (if given the choice your kitten will always prefer to be with you- in bed) such as a cardboard box, completely enclosed with just a very small hole in the bottom corner and some newspaper with a nice warm bunny rug or towel inside (needs to be washed at least once a week). There is no need to buy any fancy baskets until your kitten is older and you are certain that you are not going to waste your money.

A supply of cat food. Ask the breeder for a list of food and supplements the kitten is used to eating. The list should include a name brand of cat food, raw meat, a calcium supplement (calcium syrup), and a vitamin supplement. You should receive a diet sheet when you pick up your kitten. One very important thing to remember is to never feed your Burmese milk, they have a low lactose tolerence and milk will either give them diarrhea or make them vomit.

If  your kitten is going to be alone during the day, it would be advisable to have a supply of toys to keep him amused while you are away. A scratching post is a very useful item, if you want to save your furniture.

Check the house for trailing flexes that your kitten may chew with the possible danger of electrocution, house plants which if chewed could prove poisonous, and refrain from using long acting surface sprays such as Baygon in rooms your cat may have access to. If you don't have any screens on your windows you may have to invest in a  couple, don't underestimate the climbing capabilities of a young kitten.

A suitable container to carry your kitten home in. A stout cardboard box that can be completely enclosed, should suffice for the journey home, but it would be advisable to buy a commercial pet carrier when your kitten gets older for visits to the vet (at least once a year for booster shots).

Settling In

Decide where you are going to have the litter tray before you bring your kitten home. Leave it in the same place and don't move it around or the kitten will become confused. A good place to have a litter tray is either in the room where the kitten is going to sleep or the room next to it. Remember a kitten is like a baby and is likely to get lost in the middle of the night if its litter tray is too far away.

Have its bed ready and water bowl nearby.

The kitten is best confined to one room for a short time, and should be taken into the room where it is to settle, making sure it is not left on its own for long periods. If children are present, explain that the kitten is young and may be frightened, and that therefore they should be quiet and still. If you have a dog or adult cat, postpone their introduction until the following day, when the kitten will be feeling more secure.

It is essential to keep the kitten confined to the house for at least a week before letting it out into the garden, and then only if you are with it. It should be confined at night throughout its life.

Any sign of illness should be taken seriously, though symptoms like temporary loss of appetite may just be due to the stress of changing homes. If you are worried, discuss it with the breeder and if necessary seek veterinary advice.

Diet

Use the diet sheet supplied by the breeder. Changes should be made gradually after the kitten has settled in (about 2 weeks). Kittens need feeding 4 times a day until about 16 weeks of age reducing to 3 meals a day until about 9 to 12 months when they should be fed 2 meals a day for the rest of their lives. Meals should be varied e g. tinned food, dry food, raw meat, cooked chicken, and any leftover roast meat. An egg yolk once or twice a week is beneficial. Fresh water must always be available.

Health and Hygiene

Cats are naturally clean animals. Because they like to be clean, they also like to sleep in clean  bedding and use a clean toilet. Your cat's bedding should be washed at least once a week and its litter tray changed DAILY. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed and when renewing the litter, wash the tray with hot water. The tray does not need to be filled to the brim, use only enough litter to cover the tray about 2 - 3 cm thick. Keep your cat free of fleas with a suitable flea powder, taking care not to let any powder get into its eyes, nose or mouth. Don’t use too much. Use a very fine flea comb to extract the fleas and flea dirt. You may use a flea collar on your cat when it is old enough (about 9 months).

A worming programme should have been carried out on your kittens prior to you collecting it. Basically kittens should be wormed every 3 weeks from 6 weeks until 12 weeks and then it is up to you to continue with the treatment every 3 months.

Desexing

Indescriminate mating of entire cats simply adds to the  number of unwanted kittens. A Burmese female kitten may start calling (coming into season) when she is far too young to be mated. A calling "queen" will roll on the floor, be very affectionate, tread with her back feet and be extremely vocal. If the kitten calls too early, discuss with your veterinarian early desexing. Usually male and female kittens are desexed around 6 months of age, some breeders will desex the kittens earlier, even before you take them home. All but a few male kittens should be neutered. Some outstanding kittens are kept entire and housed properly in stud houses as stud cats. Entire males tend to stray and fight with other cats, and if kept in the house will probably spray urine to mark their territory and leave a very unpleasant smell.

Holiday Care

If you need to board your cat, enquire with the breeder first then visit the cattery before booking. Make sure your cat will be kept in a run that is clean and airy with plenty of room. Do not accept offers of small cages for boarding your pet. Make sure that your cat will be fed the same food it is used to eating at least twice a day.

Help and Advice

As a first point of call, contact the breeder of your kitten. You can also contact the Burmese Cat Society of Australasia or a veterinarian.

 

    *** DISCLAIMER ***

The Society is unable to settle disputes between our breeders and kitten buyers.  This is a transaction between the purchaser and the seller, and any disputes which arise should be directed to the NSW Office of Fair Trading.